A number of new classes are being considered for inclusion at the Fountain Hills High School, with Principal Cain Jagodzinski and guests outlining several proposals for Governing Board members at the Nov. 9 meeting.

All discussion items, the Board is expected to vote on possible approval of these courses at the December meeting.

From theater to a variety of AP Capstone courses, Jagodzinski said he sees all of the courses discussed at “additional signature classes for Fountain Hills” that will further distinguish the local campus while offering a more diverse roster of challenging options for students.

Theater

A partnership with the Fountain Hills Community Theater, the Live theatre Performance and Production courses, according to Jagodzinski, would provide students with an opportunity to earn fine arts credits in a unique new way while potentially drawing the interest of new students.

Jagodzinski said that while this program could also draw students from outside of Fountain Hills, as a theater course on this level may not be available in surrounding communities.

If approved, a certified teacher will be provided by the Fountain Hills Theater, and classes would initially be taught at the Theater itself. Like many fine art and lab classes, this would be a fee-based course and according to Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sweeney, no M&O monies would be needed to add it to the school’s offerings.

Unlike the remainder of the courses discussed during the meeting, the hope is to have the theater courses up and running by the coming spring semester.

AP Capstone

When Jagodzinski applied for the position of FHHS principal, one of the things he mentioned wanting to bring to the local high school was an AP Capstone course.

With the Oct. 9 discussion of potential course inclusions, he’s moving one step closer to achieving that goal.

Proposed courses under this umbrella include AP Environmental Science, AP Capstone Research, AP Statistics, AP Capstone Seminar, as well as basic Statistics.

“These are courses intended for the highest achieving students, as well as some that will fill in the gaps of our program offerings,” Jagodzinski said.

He reiterated that, similar to the proposed theater class, these are the types of courses that, not currently offered here, can result in students looking elsewhere for their education.

Jagodzinski pointed out that 47 percent of FHHS students currently take an AP course, so there’s definitely a need for more offerings in Fountain Hills.

“I see this as part of our journey to the top,” Jagodzinski added. “These courses would provide a rigorous educational experience and form our highest academic program.

If approved, these courses would make FHHS one of only a handful of schools in Arizona to offer an AP Capstone program. Implementation following a final proposal and approval is targeted for next fall.

AVID

Also being considered for next fall is the AVID program. AVID stands for Achievement Via Individual Determination, and it is seen as a course that takes achieving students and pushes them to do even more.

Board President Jill Reed said she felt this program was a great fit for FHUSD, as the focus tends to be on students on either end of the achievement spectrum. This program is designed for the “student in the middle,” one who has potential but requires some peer-driven help in certain areas or an extra push to go further in areas where they already excel.

The AVID program builds additional support and tutoring into the school day, with Jagodzinski adding that the end result is building all students toward college readiness.

“This course helps close the achievement gap,” he explained. “It’s an elective and requires a student who is willing to work.”

Unlike the other courses discussed, Jagodzinski said the major hurdle to implementing AVID in Fountain Hills would be the cost. However, he noted that the local Verne C. Johnson Foundation has already offered to donate the full needed amount over a three-year period, what he referred to as another tremendous example of the community supporting its schools.